What is CQAsia?
CQAsia is the Asian Pacific Chapter of the Chicago Quantitative Alliance (CQA).  CQA was founded in Chicago, Illinois, USA in 1993. When the group was formed, Chicago had the critical mass of interested parties and hosted a wide variety of institutions interested in quantitative research. Even though the group started in Chicago, the intention was always to bring together the top quantitative professionals from around the world. The organization quickly outgrew its Chicago roots and is now international in scope. The majority of the current membership is from the East coast of the U.S., mostly Boston and New York. Currently less than 10% of the membership is from the Chicago area. 

What is the goal of the CQAsia Conference?

The CQAsia conference is not intended to make money, sell anything, or debate meaningless theories. The goal is to promote a focused, active discussion of topics of interest to quantitative investment practitioners. The emphasis is on good speakers who have the ability to convey their message in an interesting and insightful way.

What is the format of the conference?

The CQAsia Conference is usually held in Hong Kong in November of each year.  It is a two day event held at a location convenient to the Central business district. Speakers are from both the U.S. and throughout the Asian Pacific region. 

Is there a newsletter, Journal, or some other type of official written material?

We have established an e-mail list and this web site to enable everyone to communicate and share information on a regular basis. This ability to communicate with other members has become a valued feature of membership to the group.  We do not publish a Journal, but papers and presentations are available in the password-protected section of this website.

How does the membership work?

Membership is by individual, not firm. Unlike in the U.S., there is NO ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEE to join CQAsia. Until CQAsia reaches its capacity set by the Board, all qualifying investment professionals who apply to CQAsia will be admitted. Members pay only for the conferences they attend. 

What are the benefits of joining CQAsia?

You must either be a member of CQA or CQAsia to attend the annual conference, or you must be invited by one of our our co-sponsors. There are several benefits of becoming a member:

1.      Each member will be given member access to the password-protected portion of the CQA website, which allows you to download the presentations from all of our conferences, both in the U.S. and Hong Kong.

2.      Members also have access to our email list, where you can communicate with other members. We regularly post job opportunities for member firms and often field questions from members regarding quantitative finance, data-sets, and other topics of interest.

3.      As a member of CQAsia, you are eligible to attend the regular CQA meetings in the U.S. as a guest. You must pay the guest conference fee, but since these are members-only events, this access is a significant benefit of belonging to CQAsia.

4.      We also conduct a series of small seminars in Hong Kong throughout the year, and you will receive invitations to all of these events. The seminars are held after work in Central Hong Kong and feature a top academic or practitioner in the area of quantitative investing.

Since there is no cost to applying for membership, there is really no reason not to join CQAsia, so sign up today!

How much does Conference attendance cost?
The CQAsia Conference is open to all CQA and CQAsia members and clients of our sponsors. If you are a regular CQA member, there is no cost to attend. If you are a CQAsia member, the conference fee is only  HK $500. (approximately $65.00 US). If you are a client of one of our sponsors, please contact your client representative or sales professional and they will handle your invitation and registration. There is no conference fee for attendees who are invited by our sponsors. It takes substantial resources to hold a first class conference, and we greatly appreciate the co-sponsorship of the following firms:

Northfield

FactSet

If I am a CQAsia member am I guaranteed a spot at the conference?

Due to space limitations, attendance is on a first-come first-served basis, so you must register for the event. You can register here: REGISTER 

How do I join?
You can fill out the online application found by selecting the Apply For Membership button on the Membership menu on this web site. In order to maintain the integrity of the group, you must be an academic or employed as an active professional in the area of quantitative investing. You must work in the Asian Pacific region.  With the proper credentials, you will be admitted promptly as a member of CQAsia (make sure you check the box that you are applying for CQAsia membership, as there is a long wait list for regular CQA membership).  After you are accepted for membership, you will receive information on how to set up member access to the CQA website. You will receive regular invitations to all CQA events.